Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Employment Update

Paul Scully: I am pleased to announce the latest steps the Government has taken to better protect and support low-income workers as we look to build a high skilled, high productivity, high wage economy.The UK’s flexible and dynamic labour market has always been the envy of the world. It gives businesses the confidence to create jobs and invest in their workforce, whilst giving workers more choice over who they work for, and how often.This Government wants to put more power into the hands of individuals and businesses to find and create work that suits their personal circumstances. Today we are confirming our intention to widen the ban on exclusivity clauses, ensuring lowest paid workers have the freedom to boost their income through extra work if they wish.Exclusivity clauses, which restrict staff from working for multiple employers, were banned in zero hours contracts in 2015. Since then, the number of people on zero hours contracts with a second job has risen, and more workers have been able to take advantage of the opportunity to boost their income. Our latest reform will build on the success of those changes.The Government’s proposals will widen the ban on exclusivity clauses which restrict staff from working with multiple employers, to those whose income is below or equivalent to the Lower Earnings Limit at £123 a week. An estimated 1.5 million workers are earning on or below £123 a week and the new reforms will ensure that workers in this group that have exclusivity clauses have the freedom to top up their income with extra work if they choose.While not everyone will want a second job, the reforms will remove any barriers that currently prevents those who want to do so, and give workers more flexibility over when and where they work to best suit their personal circumstances such as childcare or study.As well as supporting workers to increase their income, the reforms will also benefit businesses by widening the talent pool of job applicants to those who may have been prevented from applying for roles due to an exclusivity clause with another employer, and also helps businesses to fill vacancies in key sectors like retail and hospitality. The reforms will support low-paid workers to make the most of new opportunities where demand for is growing.The reform will be delivered through new secondary legislation which will be laid before Parliament in due course. It follows a consultation launched by the Government in December 2020, where the majority of responses agreed with the approach to extend the ban to contracts where the workers’ guaranteed weekly income is below or equivalent to the Lower Earnings Limit (£123 a week).Additionally, many responses to the consultation highlighted the impact that COVID-19 has had on job security and the decrease in guaranteed working hours for many people. Extending the ban to those earning below or equivalent to the Lower Earnings Limit will therefore enable workers who have been moved to reduced hours contracts due to the pandemic to increase their income by taking on additional work if they wish.The Government also announced its commitment to publishing employment status guidance, making it easier for individuals and businesses to understand which employment rights apply to them.This Government has been absolutely clear that we will do whatever we can to protect and enhance workers’ rights, and give businesses the confidence to create jobs and invest in their workforce. These reforms will put more power into the hands of individuals and businesses to find and create work that suits their personal circumstances.

Wales Office

The Government’s Legislative Programme (Wales) 2022-23

Simon Hart: The legislative programme for the third session was outlined at the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday 10 May. This statement provides a summary of the programme and its application to Wales. It does not include draft bills, Law Commission bills or Finance Bills.People in Wales have benefited from our UK-wide £400 billion package of support during the pandemic which has protected over 470,000 jobs in Wales. The UK Government is also providing a record £18 billion per year on average to the Welsh Government through the Barnett Formula during the current Spending Review period, which amounts to the largest block grant settlement for Wales since devolution and an annual increase of £2.5 billion. The Welsh Government is able to spend this funding in line with their priorities in devolved areas.This Government will continue to deliver for people and businesses across Wales, as part of a strong United Kingdom. In the first allocations of our UK-wide growth funds, Wales received £121 million for 10 projects to improve infrastructure in Wales as part of the Levelling Up Fund, over £460,000 for 3 projects through the Community Ownership Fund to save community assets at risk of being lost, and over £46 million for 165 projects in Wales through the UK Community Renewal Fund.Looking ahead, communities in Wales will receive £585 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This will help to spread opportunity, increase prosperity and level up every corner of the UK. This funding includes over £101 million for Wales for an adult numeracy programme, Multiply, which will support people to develop their numeracy skills.This is on top of the UK Government’s investment of over £790 million in the four City and Growth Deals in Wales. At Autumn Budget, funding was accelerated for the Cardiff City Region deal to fast-track projects that range from innovation and Fintech, to manufacturing and infrastructure.We are emerging from the worst public health crisis in over a century and this Government’s focus will be on boosting economic growth across the UK to address the cost of living, helping to create the conditions for more people to have high-wage, high-skill jobs; backing the police to make the streets safer and supporting the NHS to clear the Covid backlogs. By focusing on these priorities our legislative programme will directly contribute to levelling up and spreading opportunity across the whole of the United Kingdom.The following bills will extend and apply to Wales (either in full or in part):Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) BillBill of RightsBoycotts, Divestment and Sanctions BillBrexit Freedoms BillConversion Therapy BillData Reform BillEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency BillEnergy Security BillFinancial Services and Markets BillHarbours (Seafarers’ Remuneration) BillHigher Education BillHigher Education (Freedom of Speech) BillLevelling Up and Regeneration BillMedia BillModern Slavery BillNational Security BillNon-Domestic Ratings BillNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) BillOnline Safety BillProcurement BillProducts Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillPublic Order BillSocial Housing Regulation BillSocial Security (Special Rules for End of Life) BillTrade (Australia and New Zealand) BillTransport BillUK Infrastructure Bank Bill The Government takes its responsibilities in Wales seriously and will continue to work constructively with the Welsh Government to secure the legislative consent of the Senedd Cymru where appropriate.

Department for Education

Level 3 Qualifications Review Update

Alex Burghart: Today I am announcing the next stage of the government’s reforms to post-16 qualifications at level 3 in England – the publication of the provisional list of qualifications that overlap with waves 1 and 2 T Levels. We debated these reforms to Level 3 as part of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act, and I am happy to provide an update on the next phase of implementation.This is a vital component of our reforms to technical education. Transforming post-16 education and skills is at the heart of our plan to build back better and level up the country by ensuring that students everywhere have access to qualifications that will give them the skills to succeed. Now more than ever, it is vital that the qualifications on offer meet the needs of employers and support more people into higher skilled, higher wage jobs.The keystone of the reforms is the introduction of quality technical qualifications such as T Levels. These are designed by employers to give young people the skills they need to progress into skilled employment, or to go on to further study including higher education. The breadth and depth of T Levels is unmatched giving students a thorough understanding of the sector and skills needed to work in specific occupations, all backed and designed by employers.We are providing a variety of support to the sector to ensure that providers are able to deliver successfully, including over £400m capital funding for new facilities and industry standard equipment, and free learning and development for all T Level teachers that has benefited over 8,500 individuals.The rigour of T Levels, combined with the meaningful industry placement of at least 45 days in a genuine workplace, will equip more young people with the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to access skilled employment or further technical study. T Levels are being scaled up at pace throughout the country, currently offered at over 100 providers, with over 6,000 learners across the country, and there around 400 providers who are planning to deliver T Levels from 2023. We have invested £200m over the past 4 years to help providers build their capacity and networks with employers to deliver high quality placements.But these essential reforms will only have their full benefit if we simultaneously address the complexities and variable quality of the broader qualifications system. We want every student to have confidence that every qualification on offer is high quality, and to be able to easily understand what skills and knowledge that qualification will provide and where it will take them. These changes are part of our long-term reforms to technical education, building on the recommendations in the Sainsbury report, published in 2016, itself building on the findings of the Wolf review of 2011.In August 2021 the government confirmed that it would remove funding approval for more than 5,000 qualifications at level 3 and below that had no or low enrolments. Funding approval for these qualifications will be removed later this year, streamlining the qualifications landscape.The next phase of our reforms is to remove funding for qualifications that overlap with T Levels, which will give T Levels the space needed to flourish and reduce complexity for learners and employers. That is why today we are publishing a provisional list of 160 qualifications that overlap with waves 1 and 2 T Levels. Subject to the outcomes of the appeals process, we will withdraw funding approval at 16-19 from these qualifications from August 2024 as part of our reforms to improve the quality of post-16 qualifications. This provisional list is only a small proportion of the qualifications available at level 3, and as announced by the Secretary of State in November 2021, funding will be withdrawn one year later than originally planned, to allow additional time for the sector to prepare.This review has been led by evidence. We commissioned independent assessors to conduct in depth reviews of the qualifications. All qualifications placed on the provisional overlap list were rigorously assessed and considered against three tests:That they are technical qualificationsThat they have demonstrable overlap of content and outcomes with wave 1 and wave 2 T Levels already on offerThat they are aimed at supporting entry to the same occupation(s) as those T LevelsOnly those qualifications which meet all three of these tests were included on the list, to ensure that we do not leave gaps in provision. We also excluded qualifications where they were aimed at supporting entry to occupations covered by Wave 3 and 4 T Levels, since these are not yet on offer; or where they were primarily aimed at people already in work.As the post-16 qualifications review continues, we will assess the quality of qualifications that we continue to fund alongside A levels and T Levels. We are clear that other qualifications, including BTECs and similar qualifications, will continue to play an important role. We will continue to fund these qualifications where they are high quality and where there is a clear need for them.Both Ofqual and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education will have a role in approving these qualifications. This phase will see the most significant changes to the level 3 landscape, when reformed qualifications are approved from 2025. Ofqual have recently consulted on their approach to regulating these qualifications, and both Ofqual and the Institute will consult further ahead of the criteria being published later this year. We have published guidance today setting out the timeline for this. In Autumn 2022, we will publish details of the process which Awarding Organisations will need to follow for every qualification to be approved for funding, including details of the quality and other criteria. In the future, all qualifications at level 3 and below will need to meet these criteria to ensure that they are high quality.Awarding organisations with qualifications on the list have been notified, as have the Federation of Awarding Bodies and Joint Council for Qualifications, and all Further Education providers. We have also published appeals guidance, and awarding organisations have until Friday 8 July to appeal these overlap assessments. We will confirm the final list in September after the appeals process has been completed.

Treasury

Public Works Loans Board lending limit

John Glen: The Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) is a HM Treasury lending facility to local government. The PWLB passes on central government’s lower cost of borrowing to local authorities to support their delivery of housing, local infrastructure, service delivery and local regeneration. It also helps local authorities manage their cash flow in a predictable and cost-effective way.Today, I wish to announce an important step the Government is taking regarding the ongoing effective management of the PWLB.I will shortly commence section 112 of the Finance Act 2020, amending the National Loans Act 1968 to increase the overall PWLB lending limit from its current level of £95bn to £115bn. This will allow the PWLB to make an additional £20bn of advances to local authorities across England, Scotland, and Wales, continuing to fund essential local projects that will support the delivery of local infrastructure, housing, and service delivery.The lending limit was previously raised from £85bn to £95bn in October 2019. Heightened local authority lending, as highlighted in reports produced by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and National Audit Office (NAO) has driven the need to implement this further increase. The ongoing increase in lending largely reflects local authorities’ continued investment into their capital programmes and the expansion of their delivery of services through capital expenditure. The PWLB provides critical support for local authorities through accessible, low-cost lending, and it is important that this access is maintained. I note the action taken by my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to address instances of excessive risk, which will safeguard the proper and proportionate borrowing and investment provided by the PWLB.The PWLB remains the best source of accessible, low-cost borrowing for local government. By extending the overall lending limit, the Government is strengthening its commitment to supporting local government delivery of key local priorities

Leader of the House

The Government's Legislative Programme 2022

Mark Spencer: Following the state opening of Parliament, and for the convenience of the House, I am listing the bills which were announced:Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) BillBill of RightsBoycotts, Divestment and Sanctions BillBrexit Freedoms BillConversion Therapy BillData Reform BillEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency BillEnergy Security BillFinancial Services and Markets BillGenetic Technology (Precision Breeding) BillHarbours (Seafarers’ Remuneration) BillHigh Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) BillHigher Education BillHigher Education (Freedom of Speech) BillIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) BillLevelling Up and Regeneration BillMedia BillModern Slavery BillNational Security BillNon-Domestic Ratings BillNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) BillOnline Safety BillProcurement BillProducts Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillPublic Order BillRenters Reform BillSchools BillSocial Housing Regulation BillSocial Security (Special Rules for End of Life) BillTrade (Australia and New Zealand) BillTransport BillUK Infrastructure Bank BillThe programme will also include Finance Bills to implement budget policy decisions. This list does not include draft bills or Law Commission bills.Detailed information about each of these bills can be accessed from the Gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/queens-speech-2022-background-briefing-notes

Ministry of Defence

Service Complaints Ombudsman’s Annual Report 2021

Leo Docherty: I am pleased to Lay before the House today the Service Complaints Ombudsman’s Annual Report for 2021 on the fairness, effectiveness and efficiency of the Service Complaints system. This report is published by Mariette Hughes and covers the operation of the Service Complaints system and the work of her office in her first year as Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces. The findings of the Report will now be considered fully by the Ministry of Defence, and a formal response to the Ombudsman will follow once that work is complete.

Home Office

Public Order Bill

Priti Patel: The right to protest peacefully, for people to exercise their rights to freedom of speech and assembly, is a cornerstone of our democratic values and will always be defended by this Government. However, the rights of protesters must be balanced with the rights of the general public to go about their daily lives free from serious disruption or harm. In recent months, we have seen a minority of protestors using guerrilla tactics that cause misery to the hard-working public, disrupt businesses, interfere with emergency services, cost millions in taxpayers’ money, divert the police from tackling crime and put lives at risk. The Public Order Bill, introduced in the House of Commons today, builds on the public order measures in Part 3 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 which, amongst other things, updates the powers in the Public Order Act 1986 enabling the police to impose conditions on a protest, provides for a statutory offence of intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance and increases the maximum penalty for the offence of wilful obstruction of a highway. The Government had originally sought to include the majority of the new measures announced today in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, but the Government’s amendments to that Bill were blocked by the House of Lords. Since then, we have seen the Just Stop Oil protests which threatened fuel shortages across the country. The Public Order Bill includes the following measures: a) Offences related to locking on – creating two new offences designed to deter individuals from ‘locking on’ and ‘going equipped to lock on’. Locking-on is the tactic in which protesters attach themselves to other individuals, objects or land, or attach objects together or to land, creating an obstruction which is capable of causing serious disruption and is difficult and time consuming for the police to remove. b) Obstruction of major transport works – creating a new offence of obstructing the construction or maintenance of major transport works c) Interference with key national infrastructure – creating a new offence which covers any behaviour which prevents or significantly delays the use or operation of key infrastructure, such as roads, railways, airports, oil refineries (which we have seen an increase of in the last few months), gas installations, power plants and printing presses. d) Powers to stop and search – extending existing stop and search powers to allow the police to search and seize objects made, adapted, or intended for use in the course of specified protest-related offences (including the new offences listed above). There will be both a suspicion-led power, amending section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, and a suspicion-less power, based on section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. e) Serious Disruption Prevention Orders – introducing a new preventative court order – the Serious Disruption Prevention Order (SDPO), aimed at tackling repeated highly disruptive behaviour by prolific protestors. The new Bill now includes provision for the electronic tagging of persons subject to an SDPO. f) Power of chief officers of police to delegate certain functions under the Public Order Act 1986 - equalising the seniority of police officer in London who may attach conditions to an upcoming protest or prohibit a trespassory assembly to match that applicable in forces outside of London. (The current minimum rank of Assistant Commissioner will be changed to that of Commander, which is equivalent to Assistant Chief Constables outside of London.) This is a new measure included in this Bill. To support the parliamentary scrutiny of the Bill, I am publishing the following documents on gov.uk: Impact assessment;Policy equality statement;Delegated Powers memorandum;ECHR memorandum; andFact sheet.

Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules

Kevin Foster: My Rt Hon friend the Home Secretary is today laying before the House a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules. The changes reflect amendments required as a result of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, to implement the reformed asylum system. Significantly, we will introduce a differentiated asylum system as provided for by Section 12 of the 2022 Act. In order to do this, we will also introduce three new types of permission to stay where a person is granted on a protection route: o refugee permission to stay for Group 1 refugees;o temporary refugee permission to stay for Group 2 refugees; ando temporary humanitarian permission to stay for recipients of humanitarian protection Different entitlements, in terms of period of grant, conditions of stay and access to family reunion, will be provided to refugees who did not come directly to the UK, did not claim asylum without delay or, in some cases, have not shown good cause for any illegal entry or presence in the UK. This supports our key principle of deterring dangerous journeys and encouraging asylum claims to be made in the first safe country an asylum seeker reaches; this is the fastest route to safety. The current Immigration Rules do not define a “claim for humanitarian protection”, therefore we will clearly outline the Government’s definition of such a claim. Furthermore, some of the changes to humanitarian protection in the Rules are necessary for the effective operation of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda in preventing unnecessary delays to removal. Currently, individuals may make a humanitarian protection claim against country of return (which under the definition would include Rwanda), that would require an assessment of whether the individual is a refugee. This runs counter to the object and purpose of the Partnership, where responsibility for refugee status determination is transferred to Rwanda. We intend to clarify that a claim for humanitarian protection can only be made against country of origin (as is the case with asylum claims). The change does not prevent individuals from raising safety concerns about their removal and the specific circumstances of any individual will be considered before removal to ensure the removal is safe and meets the UK’s legal obligations, including under the ECHR. These changes will be made from 11 May 2022, this is necessary and proportionate in order to provide clarity to applicants on the circumstances in which they can lodge a claim for humanitarian protection and prevent unnecessary delays to remove under the UK-Rwanda Partnership. Given the anticipated deterrent effect of the Partnership on people smuggling, this will help to quickly reduce the number of dangerous journeys and save lives. We will also introduce a provision to clarify the exceptional circumstances that may warrant a grant of permission to enter or stay in the UK for children seeking to join a refugee parent or relative. This change will help create more fairness, transparency, and consistency in decision-making. In addition, new Immigration Rules will come into effect which impose a visa regime on nationals of El Salvador. Salvadoran nationals wishing to visit the UK will be required to obtain a visit visa from 11 May 2022. There will be a transition period for Salvadoran nationals who have pre-booked travel before 16:00 BST on 11 May, and will arrive in the UK before 8 June, will still be able to enter the UK without a visa. Any passengers with pre-booked travel arriving in the UK after 8 June and those who did not book travel before 16:00 on 11 May, will still require a visa to enter the UK. This decision has been taken by Ministers across Government in light of increasing asylum claims from Salvadoran nationals in UK ports in recent years. There were 38 asylum claims made by Salvadoran nationals in 2017. This figure has sharply increased by 1750% to reach 703 in 2021. Due to public policy reasons, the UK Government unilaterally suspended the existing Visa Treaty (1962) between the UK and El Salvador and will implement the Immigration Rules changes to impose the visa requirement immediately at 16:00 on the 11 May. Finally, eligible nationals from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, will have access to the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme. Nationals of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will be able to visit the UK for up to six months for tourism, business, study or medical treatment. This brings the status of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in line with Oman, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait who already benefit from the Electronic Visa Waiver scheme. There is no requirement for applicants to provide biometrics, attend a visa application centre or hand in passports in advance of travel for an EVW as there is with visas. An EVW allows the holder to travel to the UK once and costs £30. Applicants only need to provide their travel details for pre-clearance 48 hours in advance of travel. Visit visas are an important part of securing the UK’s border and are an effective tool for the UK in reducing illegal immigration, tackling organised crime and protecting national security. The UK keeps its visa system under regular review. Decisions on changes are always taken in the round and reflect a range of factors. These will vary globally, but often include security, compliance, returns and prosperity. The necessary changes to the Immigration Rules are being laid on 11 May 2022. For the changes regarding El Salvador, due to safeguarding the operation of the national immigration system, those changes will come into effect on 11 May 2022. The necessary changes to allow Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to access EVW come into effect on 1 June 2022. Given the anticipated deterrent effect of the Partnership on people smuggling, and the need to quickly reduce the number of dangerous journeys and save lives, those changes to humanitarian protection claims necessary for the effective operation of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda in preventing unnecessary delays to removal will come into effect on 11 May 2022. The wider Asylum changes come into effect on 28 June 2022.

Scotland Office

The Government’s Legislative Programme (Scotland) 2022-23

Mr Alister Jack: The legislative programme for the Third Session was outlined at the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday 10 May. This statement provides a summary of the programme and its application to Scotland. It does not include draft Bills, Law Commission Bills or Finance Bills. The UK Government will continue to deliver for people and businesses across Scotland, as part of a strong United Kingdom. The Government’s legislative programme for this session will boost economic growth across the UK to address the cost of living, helping to create the conditions for more people to have high-wage, high-skill jobs. We will continue to build our recovery from the pandemic, and work to make our country safer. When we work collaboratively as one United Kingdom we are safer, stronger, more prosperous, and better able to tackle our shared challenges. That is why the UK Government announced the first allocations for many of our UK-wide growth funds, including more than £171 million for eight projects to improve infrastructure in Scotland as part of the Levelling Up Fund and over £1 million for six projects through the Community Ownership Fund to save community assets at risk of being lost, such as the Old Forge pub in the Highlands. In addition, we announced that 56 projects in Scotland would receive a share of more than £18 million through the Community Renewal Fund. The Glasgow city region will become one of three new ‘Innovation Accelerators’ which will drive-up prosperity and opportunity for local people and backed by a share of £100 million of UK Government funding. A new, £150 million British Business Bank fund in Scotland will support firms, and the Scottish Government is being provided with £1.9 billion for farmers and land managers and £42.2 million to support fisheries over the current Spending Review period. To spread economic opportunities more evenly across the UK, Scotland will benefit from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with over £212 million provided to level up communities across Scotland over this Spending Review period. Amongst other things, this includes the Multiply Programme which will give thousands of adults across the UK the opportunity to develop functional numeracy skills. The new £1.4 billion Global Britain Investment Fund will spread economic opportunities more evenly across the UK by supporting investment in industries including life sciences, offshore wind, and manufacturing. We are bringing two Green Freeports to Scotland to support economic growth. These will play a key role in supporting the regeneration of communities, bringing jobs and prosperity. They will also turbo-charge our commitments on net zero and support work to level-up the whole of the United Kingdom. This is on top of the UK Government’s investment of almost £1.5 billion in Scottish City and Region Growth Deals. Funding was accelerated in seven of these in Scotland to drive forward local economic priorities in Tay Cities, Borderlands, Moray and the Scottish Islands (announced in the 2020 Spending Review), and Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute, and Falkirk (announced in the March 2021 Budget). The Government is committed to protecting and promoting the strengths of the United Kingdom, building on hundreds of years of partnership between the different parts of our country, the most successful political and economic union in history and the foundation upon which all our businesses and citizens are able to thrive and prosper. The following bills will extend and apply to Scotland (either in full or in part):Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) BillBill of RightsBoycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions BillBrexit Freedoms BillData Reform BillEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency BillEnergy Security BillFinancial Services and Markets BillHarbours (Seafarers’ Remuneration) BillHigh Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) BillInfrastructure Bank BillLevelling Up and Regeneration BillMedia BillModern Slavery BillNational Security BillNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) BillOnline Safety BillProcurement BillProducts Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillSocial Housing Regulation BillSocial Security (Special Rules for End of Life) BillTrade (Australia and New Zealand) BillTransport BillThis Government continues to deliver for Scotland and will continue to work constructively with the Scottish Government to secure the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament where appropriate.

Northern Ireland Office

The Government’s Legislative Programme (Northern Ireland) 2022-23

Brandon Lewis: The legislative programme for the third session was outlined at the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday 10 May. This statement provides a summary of the programme and its application to Northern Ireland. It does not include draft Bills, Law Commission bills or Finance Bills. This ambitious legislative programme underlines the importance that the Government places on the Union, and Northern Ireland’s integral part within it. It reinforces the Government's commitment to grow the economy across the UK to help address the cost of living and create the conditions for more high-wage, high-skill jobs , delivering for people and businesses across Northern Ireland, as part of a strong United Kingdom. It also builds on the unprecedented action the Government has taken to support individuals, businesses and communities to get the Northern Ireland economy back up and running. The Government is providing historic levels of funding for Northern Ireland Executive which will receive on average £15 billion per year over the Spending Review period. This marks the largest funding settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution in 1998. The Executive will also receive an additional £47 million as a result of measures announced in the Spring Statement. The Executive can spend this funding as they see fit in devolved areas to benefit people in Northern Ireland. The Government is also investing an additional £3.5 billion in Northern Ireland through the City and Growth Deal programme, the New Deal for Northern Ireland, PEACE PLUS and the New Decade, New Approach financial package. This financial boost, together with further funding streams and legislative action, will continue to lay the foundations for delivering prosperity, safety, ongoing support for communities right across Northern Ireland, and working with the Executive to ensure the effective delivery of public services. My Department will also lead on two of the Bills within the legislative programme which have a specific focus on matters at the heart of Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill will address the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past by providing better outcomes for victims, survivors and their families, giving veterans the protections they deserve and focusing on information recovery and reconciliation. The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill will deliver a carefully balanced package of identity and language measures as negotiated by the Northern Ireland parties under the New Decade, New Approach deal. I will also shortly return to Parliament and lay regulations that will place a duty on the Northern Ireland Department of Health to make abortion services available as soon as is reasonably practicable; remove the need for Executive Committee approval before services can be commissioned and funded; and confer on me the power to do anything that a Northern Ireland Minister or department could do to ensure that abortion services are provided in Northern Ireland to the standard decided by Parliament in 2019. The Bills that will extend, in whole or in part, to Northern Ireland are listed below:Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) BillBill of RightsBoycotts, Divestment and Sanctions BillBrexit Freedoms BillData Reform BillEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency BillEnergy Security BillFinancial Services and Markets BillHarbours (Seafarers’ Remuneration) BillIdentity and Language (Northern Ireland) BillLevelling Up and Regeneration BillMedia BillModern Slavery BillNational Security BillNorthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) BillOnline Safety BillProcurement BillProducts Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure BillTrade (Australia and New Zealand) BillTransport BillUK Infrastructure Bank Bill In line with the Sewel Convention and associated practices, the Government will continue to work constructively with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers to secure the legislative consent of the Northern Ireland Assembly where achievable and appropriate.

Northern Ireland Assembly Election

Brandon Lewis: Last Thursday, the people of Northern Ireland went to the polls to choose their elected representatives. The results of that election were confirmed on Sunday 8 May 2022.I want to offer my congratulations to all those who were elected and encourage the parties to form an Executive as soon as possible. The people of Northern Ireland deserve a stable and accountable devolved government that delivers on the issues that matter most to them.Earlier this year, the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act passed through Parliament. That legislation provides for a period of up to 24 weeks after an election for Northern Ireland’s political representatives to restore the devolved institutions. During this time, Northern Ireland Ministers in post before the election who were re-elected can remain as Ministers to support the delivery of public services.I met with the leaders of the five largest parties in Northern Ireland on Monday 9 May and urged them to restore a fully functioning Executive and Assembly at the earliest possible moment, starting with the nomination of an Assembly Speaker. An Executive will only be formed if Sinn Féin nominates a First Minister and if the DUP nominates a deputy First Minister. The two roles are joint and equal, with neither office holder able to exercise functions or make decisions without the other.The Northern Ireland Protocol remains a barrier to stability in Northern Ireland and the Government will do whatever it takes to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions. We are clear that the Protocol does not have the support of many in the Unionist community and is not working for many people and businesses in Northern Ireland. We have to address the outstanding issues and we want to do that by agreement with the EU, but as we have always made clear we will not shy away from taking unilateral action if necessary.Furthermore, while Unionism is set to remain the largest designation in the Northern Ireland Assembly with 37 seats, followed by Nationalism on 35 seats, parties which designate as neither will now constitute 20% of the Assembly. This is a significant development in Northern Irish politics and its implications are the subject of growing discussion and debate.Together, we must move forward towards a brighter future. That means a strong, functioning Executive delivering for all the people of Northern Ireland. My priority is to provide the space for an agreement to be reached.

Department for International Trade

Prime Minister's Trade Envoy Programme

Mike Freer: The Prime Minister has made a new appointment to his Trade Envoy programme. The new appointment is: The Rt Hon Member for Tunbridge Wells, Greg Clark MP, has been appointed as Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Japan. The new appointment will extend the total number of Trade Envoys to 37 parliamentarians, covering 77 markets. The role as a Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy is unpaid and voluntary with cross-party membership from both Houses. The broad role supports the UK’s ambitious trade and investment agenda by championing Global Britain and promoting the UK as a destination of choice for inward investment. They also support the UK’s economic recovery through the levelling up agenda, by helping business take advantage of the opportunities arising in export markets.

Trade Sanctions Update

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: On May 9th 2022, the Department for International Trade and HM Treasury announced a fresh package of trade sanctions targeting £1.7 billion worth of trade with Russia. These measures, bringing the total value of products subjected to full or partial trade sanctions to over £4 billion, are designed to thwart Putin’s aims in Ukraine and undermine his illegal invasion. The import tariffs announced today will target £1.4 billion worth of goods imported from Russia, including certain metals such as platinum, chemicals and plastics to put further pressure on Putin and his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Further detail on the products impacted by these new measures can be found on Gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-punishes-putin-with-new-round-of-sanctions-on-17-billion-of-goods). New export bans will target over £250 million worth of trade in the sectors of the Russian economy most dependent on UK goods the hardest, including certain chemicals, materials (such as plastics, rubbers, textiles, base metals and wood products), machinery, precision instruments, and electrical products. These bans will target Russia’s manufacturing and heavy machinery sectors, effectively contributing to the debilitation of the Putin war machine. Further detail on the products impacted by these new measures will be shared in June. This is the third wave of trade sanctions announced by the UK government and, excluding gold and energy, will bring the proportion of goods imports from Russia hit by restrictions to over 96 percent, with over 60 percent of goods exports to Russia under whole or partial restrictions. Legislation will be laid in due course to implement these measures. The UK Government will continue to consider additional measures to further weaken Putin’s war effort. I encourage all importers that use Russian imports to source alternative supplies. As with all sanctions, these measures will be kept under review.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Consultation Response: a new pro-competition regime for digital markets

Ms Nadine Dorries: This is a joint statement with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.Last week, we published the response to the consultation on a new pro-competition regime for digital markets. As we move to build back better from the pandemic and level up opportunities throughout the UK, unlocking growth in the digital economy has never been more important or urgent.Digital technologies make an enormous contribution to the UK economy and are positively transforming our daily lives. However, weak competition in digital markets is stifling economic growth and imposing unnecessarily high costs on British businesses and consumers. That’s why this government has committed to establishing a new pro-competition regime for these markets. This will boost competition, drive innovation, and protect those people and businesses that rely on a very small number of immensely powerful tech firms.Our regime will be able to place obligations on these firms to make it easier for users to communicate across different platforms, switch to smaller providers and deliver new, better alternatives for consumers. The Digital Markets Unit will also introduce clear rules on how the most powerful tech firms should treat businesses and consumers when delivering key services such as social media and online search. These rules will make sure these tech firms are transparent and trade on fair and reasonable terms.Competition is key to unlocking the full potential of the digital economy as more choice will lower prices for everyday goods and services that rely on online advertising. Countries around the world are developing their policy and regulatory approaches. Now that we have left the EU, we have the freedom to take a bold new approach to regulation in order to ease burdens for businesses, boost competition and help drive a new era of productivity and prosperity for all the UK’s communities and nations. The UK is leading the global debate, as demonstrated during our G7 Presidency last year where countries agreed to deepen international cooperation. Last week’s publication set out how the new regime will deliver a world-leading, innovation-friendly approach to driving up competition in digital markets.The set-up of the Digital Markets Unit last year was a major milestone in delivering the regime. We want to maintain this momentum. We set out the design of the regime in our public consultation which closed on 1 October 2021. We received a large number of submissions to our consultation including from trade associations, the tech sector, SMEs, academics, consumers and representative groups. There is strong support for the regime and growing calls for it to be delivered urgently.This response builds on the consultation and sets out how the regime will work. In particular:The new pro-competition regime will be overseen and enforced by the Digital Markets Unit (DMU), housed within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The regime’s core objective will be to promote competition in digital markets for the benefit of consumers, lowering prices and increasing transparency and fairness. The DMU will work closely with other regulators through a statutory duty to consult them where proportionate and relevant.A small number of the most powerful firms with entrenched and substantial market power that affords them a strategic position in the market will be designated, by the CMA, as having Strategic Market Status and will fall within scope of the regime; these designation parameters, including a minimum revenue threshold, will be outlined in legislation and supported by guidance.Once designated, firms will be subject to new and binding conduct requirements to manage the effects of their market power by shaping their behaviour and rebalancing the power between big tech and those who rely on them. The regime will give the regulator the ability to tailor these requirements for firms, to account for the most relevant harms and risks. These requirements will be limited by a set of categories set out in legislation. ​​Rules may include giving consumers clear and transparent information on how their data is used, or preventing a firm ranking its own products more highly in a search result where it harms consumers.The DMU will also proactively tackle the root cause of market power by making targeted and proportionate pro-competitive interventions. These will ensure that businesses across the economy that rely on very powerful tech firms, including the news publishing sector, are treated fairly and can succeed without having to comply with unfair terms. The DMU will have broad discretion to design and implement remedies, including trials, after an evidence-based investigation.To ensure the regime’s effectiveness, the DMU will have robust enforcement powers. This includes the ability to impose financial penalties of up to 10% of a firm’s global turnover for breaches. [There will also be the option to hold individual senior managers accountable].The costs of the regime will be partially recouped by levy funding, providing smooth and predictable resourcing for the DMU while ensuring best value for money for the taxpayer.Finally, designated firms will also be subject to new merger reporting requirements, ensuring greater transparency over their impacts on competition.2022 is a landmark year for shaping the rules that govern digital technologies around the world. The UK is at the forefront of this, driving forward groundbreaking work, including on online safety, digital competition, data protection, and cyber security. Our outcomes-focused and proportionate regulatory approach will be tailored to maximise benefits to the UK economy.The new pro-competition regime also complements the BEIS led ‘Reforming Consumer and Competition Policy’ consultation, which considered broader competition reforms and made a number of proposals which will also help to improve competition in markets more widely and fair treatment of consumers in digital markets. The response to this consultation was published in April.The CMA and Ofcom last week published advice on how the regime would govern the relationship between platforms and content providers including news publishers. The DMU must be able to intervene to ensure fair and reasonable contractual terms, and we are considering the use of binding final offer arbitration as a backstop enforcement mechanism to resolve disputes where needed.I will be placing copies of the response in the libraries of both Houses, and it is also available on gov.uk.

Call for Views on App Security and Privacy Interventions

Julia Lopez: I am pleased to inform the House that the Government has published a document titled ‘Call for Views on App Security and Privacy Interventions’, which sets out proposed interventions to protect consumers from malicious and poorly developed apps.App stores can serve as trusted digital marketplaces that help protect users, but this Government expects them to have the right processes to check that apps are not a risk to users’ security and privacy. While many app stores have vetting and review processes, malicious and insecure apps continue to make it onto some stores. Developers also have a clear responsibility for ensuring that they are creating apps with appropriate security and privacy. Given the increasingly important role apps play in everyday life, we need to take action to manage the potential risks associated with using apps.A key ambition of our new National Cyber Strategy, published in December 2021, is to reduce cyber risks so businesses can maximise the economic benefits of digital technology and citizens are more secure online and confident that their data is protected. The Government's work on app security and privacy will put in place a framework that ensures operators of app stores and developers are taking appropriate steps which mean that users are not put at risk from malicious apps. The National Cyber Strategy also pledges to secure the next generation of connected technologies, for which apps can often be an important enabler. Additionally, as set out in the Plan for Digital Regulation, we will ensure our overall approach to governing digital technologies is proportionate and supports growth and innovation within the sector.The interventions suggested in this publication include a voluntary Code of Practice that sets out baseline security and privacy requirements for app store operators and app developers. The Code would be a first step in a series of policy interventions intended to protect consumers from malicious and insecure apps, with the possibility of regulating aspects of the Code in the future, should these policy interventions not achieve the desired outcome. These proposals complement work that is already happening across Government to help protect users and establish a pro-competition regime for digital markets, which will introduce new rules to ensure digital consumers and businesses are treated fairly so that new and innovative tech firms can flourish. As digital markets evolve, such as the distribution and methods for accessing apps, our focus will be to ensure that users are protected and developers are building apps with appropriate levels of security and privacy.Alongside this publication, we have launched an eight-week Call for Views process, where we will be welcoming the public’s views on the proposed interventions. These views will help shape UK Government policy over the coming years and allow both consumers and businesses to securely use apps as part of everyday life, helping make the UK a stronger and more secure place for people and businesses.I will place a copy of the ‘Call for Views on App Security and Privacy Interventions’ document in the Libraries of both Houses.